Accumulation system for processing media items of various sizes and types

ABSTRACT

An accumulator system and method for collating a plurality of media items wherein the media items enter in seriatim at an media item entry point and become at least partially overlapped with each other at a media item exit point. A media item transport path connects the media item entry point and the media item exit point. A moveable member is mounted along the media item transport path between the entry point and the exit point. The moveable member forms part of a pocket into which media items are moved to create a collation of media items. The moveable member is moveable to change the size of the pocket. A protective member may be mounted to the moveable member and positioned to protect the trailing edge of media items in the pocket from the leading edge of media items to thereafter be moved into the pocket. The media item may be aligned in the collation position when moving the protective member to a media item trailing edge protective position. The transport means for media items can be controlled to partially move a media item along an exit path beyond the collation position. Media items of different lengths can be formed as part of the collation at the collation position with the trailing edge of the media items aligned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to media handling equipment, such asfolder, insertion and other systems and, more particularly, to anaccumulation system for processing media items of different sizes andtypes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various systems require the accumulation of media for furtherprocessing. Accumulator systems have been developed to assemble packets,often referred to as collations, for further processing. Prioraccumulator systems have included fixed pitch pusher chain or beltarrangements, friction belts with a customer adjustable end stoparrangements and various other arrangements. Packets or collations ofmedia items may be utilized in insertion systems, book binding systemsand other systems.

Where the accumulator system is employed with insertion equipment, theaccumulator system should, desirably, be capable of reliability handlinga large variety of media that are to be processed. The media may besheets to be folded, pre-folded and unfolded inserts, return enclosureenvelopes, and the enclosure envelope into which the media item are tobe inserted to build a mail piece. These media items may be of differentsizes, thicknesses and types, such as glossy pamphlets, advertisingbrochures or very thin media. It has been particularly difficult toaccumulate media of this variety whether for insertion into an envelope,other enclosure or other application. Often, when accumulating variablemedia items within the same collation, the collation or variation infold types and sizes must be limited in order to prevent inter-leavingof materials as they enter the accumulator, as well as slippage andskewing of the completed collation as it exits the accumulator forinsertion into an envelope, other enclosure or for a differentapplication. Accordingly, prior accumulators have been

An accumulator system for collating a plurality of media items, whereinthe media items enter in seriatim at a media item entry point and becomeat least partially overlapped with each other at a media item exitpoint, embodying the present invention includes a media item transportpath connecting the media item entry point and the media item exitpoint. A moveable member is mounted along the media item transport pathbetween the entry point and the exit point. The moveable member formspart of a pocket into which media items are moved to create a collationof media items. The moveable member is adjustable to change the size ofthe pocket.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention a protectiveshield is mounted to the moveable member and positioned to protect thetrail edge of media items in the pocket from the lead edge of mediaitems to thereafter be moved into the pocket.

An accumulator system for collating a plurality of media items, whereinthe media items enter in seriatim at a media item entry point and becomeat least partially overlapped with each other at a media item exitpoint, also embodying the present invention includes a media itemstransport belt connecting the media item entry point and the media itemexit point. A moveable shuttle is mounted for reciprocating movementbelow the media item transport belt and between the entry point and theexit point. The moveable shuttle forms part of a pocket into which mediaitems are moved to form a collation of media items. A member is mountedto the shuttle providing a guide surface for media items moved into thepocket and a protective shield for the trail edge of media items.

A method of forming a collation of media items embodying the presentinvention includes the steps of moving a media item over a protectivemember and into a position for collation with other media items. Movingthe protective member to a position where the protective member is notin engagement with the media item. And, moving the protective member toa position where the trail edge of the media item is protected frominterference with other media items to be moved into the collationposition.

A feature of the present invention includes the further step of aligningthe media item in the collation position when moving the protectivemember to the media item trail edge protective position.

A method of creating a collation of media items also embodying thepresent invention includes moving a first media item of a first lengthinto a position for collation with a second shorter length media item bypartially moving the first media item along a collation exit path. And,moving the second shorter length media item into the collation positionsuch that the trailing edge of the first media item and the second mediaitem are aligned.

In accordance with aspects of the present invention additional shortermedia items a first media item may be moved into and beyond thecollation position or into but not beyond the collation position,depending on the length of the additional shorter length media items.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference is now made to the various figures wherein like referencenumerals designate similar items in the various view and in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a folder inserter system employing anaccumulation mechanism embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top view of the post-fold accumulator mechanismshown in FIG. 1 illustrating the shuttle mechanism, including variousdrive elements, home sensors and the finger elements;

FIGS. 3-5 are diagrammatic views of the post-fold accumulator componentswith the shuttle mechanism in various positions forming differentlengths of accumulation pockets;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the post-fold accumulator componentswith the shuttle position for linear paper transport and showing a mediaitem being transported through the system;

FIGS. 7-21 are diagrammatic views of the post-fold accumulator with thecomponents in various positions helpful to a full understanding of theoperation of the mechanism; and,

FIGS. 22 and 23 are diagrammatic representations of the post-foldaccumulator showing partial ingestion of larger items by the insertionstation to allow the accumulator to accommodate greater variation inlength of media to be processed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference is now made to the various figures and more particularly toFIG. 1. A folder inserter system 2 includes a vertical tower feedstation 4 and having an envelope transport path depicted by line 6 witharrowheads. The inserter 2 includes a pre-fold accumulator station 8, afolder station 10, a post-fold accumulator station 12, an insertionstation 14 and an exit area 16. Exit area 16 includes exits 15 and 17,respectively, for letters and flats. A reject area is provided at 19.Details of the paper path feed arrangement are described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/084233 filed Mar. 18, 2005 for PAPER HANDLINGSYSTEM FEED PATH ARRANGEMENT (Pitney Bowes Docket No. F-953).

The post-fold accumulator station 14 employs an accumulator mechanism18, illustrated in FIGS. 2-23. The accumulator mechanism 18 includes ashuttle 20 having four spring-loaded fingers 22, 24, 26 and 28. Theshuttle 20, which is a moveable member, also supports idler rollers 30,32, 34 and 36, which cooperate with a post-fold accumulator belts 38 a,38 b, and 38 c for the transport of various media items. The shuttle 20is moved or adjusted in its position by belts 40 and 42 connected viapulley shaft 46 which is driven by a servo motor 48 via pulleys 47 and49 and belt 51. The shuttle 20 can be moved to reciprocate along in alinear path to vary the size of the accumulation pocket 50. Theaccumulator pocket 50 is the space between the front wall 52 of theshuttle and nip 54. Nip 54 is at the insertion station 14 and is formedby belt 56 and idler roller 58. The pocket can be of any form, sizeshape or orientation that will accommodate the media items to beprocessed in creating the collation.

The fingers 22, 24, 26 and 28 provide a protective shield for the rearedge of the mail pieces in the pocket 50 by ensuring that the next mediaitem fed into the pocket 50, the collation position, does not crash intothe trail edge of media already in pocket 50. Other protective typeshield structures may be employed. The protective shield can be acontinuous member rather than fingers, segment pieces and otherstructures that provide the protective function by preventing the nextmedia item fed into the pocket from crashing into the trail edge ofmedia already in pocket 50.

The post-fold accumulator mechanism 18 includes fixed idler rollers 60and 62, which cooperate with the post-fold accumulator drive belt 38. Nomatter what the position of the shuttle in making a changing pocketsize, a sufficient number of idler rollers always engage the post-foldaccumulator transport belt 38 to securely and properly feed andtransport media items of various sizes. This is because the fixed idlerrollers 60 and 62 in conjunction with the idler rollers 30, 32, 34 and36 mounted on shuttle 20 all engage associated transport belts. Media isfed into the post-fold accumulator mechanism 18 at the nip 64 formed bydrive rollers 43 and 45 and the idler roller 66, which operates inconjunction with drive roller 45, and an idler roller, not shown, whichoperates in conjunction with drive roller 43. This arrangement ensuresthat the media items will be positively moved into engagement with belts38 a, 38 b, and 38 c, and the associated idler rollers for transportwithin the accumulator mechanism 18. The entry of media items into thepost-old accumulator station 12 can be from either of two media paths,path 68 (where a media item is shown) or path 69.

The insertion station 14 includes the belt 56 and idler roller 58, whichdrive media items and/or collations past the throat opening of finger 70and into an envelope 72. The envelope flap 72 a is captured between adrive roller 74 and an idler roller 76. The insertion mechanism isdescribed in the above-identified U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/084,233 (Pitney Bowes Docket No. F-953).

Reference is now made to FIG. 4, which shows the post-fold accumulatorcomponents of FIG. 3 with the shuttle 20 position with a minimum pocket50 size (50 a). FIG. 5 shows the shuttle 20 position with a maximumpocket 50 size (50 b). A home sensor 78 detects the position of theshuttle 20. The home sensor 78 flags when the shuttle is at the homeposition. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, because the shuttle movesunder servo control of the motor 48, the pocket 50 size canautomatically be adjusted for all sizes of media items programmed intothe system. FIG. 4 shows a small pocket 50 size (50 a) due to theposition of shuttle 20, for example, where 80 millimeters (mm) insertsmay be accumulated. FIG. 5 shows a large pocket 50 size (50 b) due tothe position of shuttle 20 where, for example, 165 inserts may beaccumulated. Common size media items normally employed in variouscountries can be programmed for automatic servo control of motor 48.This may include media that can vary, approximately 80-165 mm in length.However, the particular size of the pocket 50 and the particular mediaitems that can be accommodated are a matter of design choice. Because ofthe shuttle operation, depending on the machine design, media of variouslengths can be accommodated by creating larger or smaller pockets.

Reference is now made to FIG. 6, which shows the shuttle 20 is in anintermediate position. The shuttle 20 is positioned in an optimumlocation for a particular length media item to have linear transport ofsuch media items through the system and into the insertion system 14.With the shuttle so positioned, the post-fold accumulator acts as alinear transport path, such as for the insertion of unfolded sheets intoflats-type envelopes.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 7-21, which show the operation of thepost fold accumulator mechanism in the normal mode of operation. Asshown in FIG. 7, media items may enter the post-fold accumulator station12 upstream from nip 64 either as folded sheets or as unfolded inserts.The media item 80 is moved through the post-fold accumulator mechanism18 by belts 38 a, 38 b, and 38 c, and associated idler rollers and ontothe shuttle 20. As the media item 80 travels into the post-foldaccumulator, the shuttle fingers 22, 24, 26 and 28, are deflecteddownward, as is shown with finger 22. The media item 80 travels over thefingers and into the post-fold accumulator pocket 50, as is shown inFIG. 10. The shuttle 20 thereafter retracts toward the left, as is shownin FIG. 11. When the shuttle 20 is fully retracted, as is shown in FIG.12, the fingers (including finger 22) release from the trail edge of themedia item 80. The media items are driven fully into the pocket by theforward motion of the belts 38 a, 38 b, and 38 c. As is shown in FIG.13, the fingers, including finger 22, rise up under action of thesprings associated with each finger 22, 24, 26 and 28. Only spring 22 aassociated with finger 22 is shown; however, fingers 24, 26 and 28 alsoeach have a similar spring arrangement. Spring 22 a, for clarity in thevarious other figures, is illustrated only in FIG. 3.

The fingers 22, 24, 26 and 28 rise up and overlap the trail edge of themedia item 80. As is shown in FIG. 14, the shuttle 20 moves to the rightand the shuttle wall 58 pushes the media item 80 leading edge againstnip 54 at the insertion station 14. The media 80 is thus registeredagainst the nip 54 and positioned for further processing by theinsertion station 14 when the entire collation is ready to be processed.As is shown in FIG. 15, another media item 82 enters the post-foldaccumulator mechanism 18 via path 69 and the fingers of the shuttle 20shield the trail edge of the first media item 80. This prevents theleading edge of the second media item 82 from crashing into the trailedge of the first media item 80. This is shown in FIG. 16. As is shownin FIG. 17, the shuttle 20 retracts, allowing the second media item 82to enter the pocket and the fingers 22, 24, 26 and 28 to return abovethe trail edge of the two media items 80 and 82, which are both now inthe pocket 50. The shuttle 20 returns to the right, registering thesecond media item 82 against the nip 54 of the insertion station 14 bythe pushing action of the front wall 52 and urging action of the belts38. Thus, with the shuttle returned to the right registering position,as shown in FIG. 18, both media items 80 and 82 are registered againstthe nip 54 of the insertion station 14. The procedure repeats multipletimes until an entire collation 83 is accumulated in the pocket 50 andregistered against the insertion nip 54, as shown in FIG. 19.

After the accumulation is complete, the insertion belt 56 is tuned onand the shuttle continues to move to the right, as shown in FIG. 20,assisting the collation 83 further into nip 54 and thus into theinsertion station 14, as shown in FIG. 20. The insertion belt 56 drivesthe collation into the open envelope 72, as shown in FIG. 21, and thepost fold accumulator 12 is now ready to accumulate the next collationor to function as the media item transport that was described inconnection with FIG. 6.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 22 and 23. In order to accommodate alarger variation in the size of media items, the insertion station 14can be controlled to partially ingest the such that the resulting mediaitem lengths will all be equalized. This results in the trailing edge ofthe longer media items line up with the trailing edges of shorter mediaitems that are part of the same collation. Additionally, this techniquecan also be employed where one or more larger media items in a collationwill not fit into the pocket 50 because of the length of such mediaitems. Whether for the purpose of aligning trailing edges and/or becauseof not fitting into the pocket, in such operation, the largest mediaitems are fed first into the pocket 50 and thereafter moved, ingested,into the insertion station 12. This involves moving a media item, suchas media item 90, partially out of the pocket 50, the collationposition, along the collation exit path. For example, a plurality ofmedia items, longest media items followed by shorter media items, couldbe moved along the collation exit path beyond the pocket 50. Each of theplurality of media items would be positioned such that the trailing edgeof the item in the pocket 50 is located where the tailing edge of themedia item will align with any other media items in of the plurality ofmedia items and also with the trailing edge of any other media items inthe collation that will fit within the pocket.

In this arrangement different shorter length media items moved into thepocket 50 after the longer length media items. When all the media itemsare brought into and/or partially ingested beyond the pocket 50, thelocation of the trailing edges of all of the media items in thecollation are located such that they can be protected by the fingers 22,24, 26 and 28. It should be recognized that the fingers 22, 24, 26 and28 are of a length to accommodate certain variation in the length ofvarious media items to be part of the collation without employingpartial movement of media items out of the pocket and into the collationexit transport path. For example, the fingers 22, 24, 26 and 28, may bedesigned to accommodate a variation of media item length of up to 12 mm.

Because the shuttle 20 moves under servo control of the motor 48, thepocket 50 size can be automatically adjusted for all common size mediaand also oversize materials by employing the partial ingestion process.The initial movement or ingestion of the largest media is such thatsubsequent movement or ingestion of the shorter but still too largemedia items will have the media items properly situated so that thefingers 22, 24, 26 and 28 will engage and protect the trailing edge ofthese media items. As is shown in FIG. 22, in order to build collationsof shorter media items on top of longer ones, the longer media items 90,once accumulated, are partially driven into the insertion nip 54,thereby allowing for the creation of a smaller pocket 50 size correctlysized for the shorter media items such as media item 92. As is shown inFIG. 23, the shorter media items are then accumulated on top of thelonger media items in a manner similar to that described in connectionwith FIGS. 7-21. Such an arrangement is ideal for an application, suchas a collation that consists of half-folded sheets with a No. 9 returnenvelope. These media can have variations in up to several inches inlength and still be formed into a collation by the accumulator mechanism18.

The term media and media items are intended to be a broad termencompassing various items that may be accumulated by an accumulatormechanism. The terms are intended include items such as different typesof mail pieces such as letter mail, postcards and flats. The USPSconsiders mail pieces to be flats when the mail piece exceeds at leastone of the dimensional regulations of letter-sized mail (e.g. over 11.5inches long, over 6 inches tall, or over ¼ inch thick) but does notexceed 15 inches by 11.5 by ¾ inch thick. Flats include such mail aspamphlets, annual reports and the like. Other examples of media itemsinclude sheets of paper, checks, compact discs, DVD discs, books,packages of greeting cards, and any other items that can be accumulatedby an accumulator mechanism. The term belt is also intended to be abroad term encompassing segmented belt drive systems and single andplural belt drive systems as well as other type drive systems thatfunction similar to a belt drive system.

It should be recognized that many modifications can be made to thepresent system. Many different drive arrangements can be employed formoving media items into, within and out of the post fold accumulatorstation. Any suitable design can be used such as those involving belts,rollers, pushers, lead screws, rack and pinions. Additionally, althoughthe accumulator mechanism 18 is illustrated as a post-fold accumulatorstation in an inserter system, the accumulator mechanism may be employedin other systems and applications where media items are to beaccumulated. Moreover, the pocket, the shuttle, and the guide andprotective member can be of any suitable design that provides thevarious functions of these components. For example, the fingers could beconstructed as flexible spring steel or mylar fingers or spring loadedplastic fingers. The shuttle could be various arrangements of sheetmetal or plastic parts driven into the desired adjustment by a leadscrew or belt or other drive mechanism.

1.) An accumulator system for collating a plurality of media itemswherein the media items enter in seriatim at an media item entry pointand become at least partially overlapped with each other at a media itemexit point, comprising: a media item transport path connecting saidmedia item entry point and said media item exit point; a moveable membermounted along said media item transport path between said entry pointand said exit point, said moveable member forming part of a pocket intowhich media items are moved to create a collation of media items; and,said moveable member moveable to change the size of said pocket. 2.) Anaccumulator system for collating a plurality of media items as definedin claim 1 wherein said moveable member is movable to push media itemsin said pocket into said media item exit point. 3.) An accumulatorsystem for collating a plurality of media items as defined in claim 1further comprising a protective shield mounted to said moveable memberand positionable to protect the trail edge of media items in said pocketfrom the lead edge of media items to thereafter be moved into saidpocket. 4.) An accumulator system for collating a plurality of mediaitems as defined in claim 3 further comprising means connected to saidprotective shield for urging said shield to rise above the top surfaceof said moveable member adjacent said trail edge of media items in saidpocket. 5.) An accumulator system for collating a plurality of mediaitems as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for urging is a spring.6.) An accumulator system for collating a plurality of media itemswherein the media items enter in seriatim at an media item entry pointand become at least partially overlapped with each other at a media itemexit point, comprising: a media item transport belt connecting saidmedia item entry point and said media item exit point; a moveableshuttle mounted for reciprocating movement below said media itemtransport belt and between said entry point and said exit point, saidmoveable shuttle forming part of a pocket into which media items aremoved to create a collation of media items; and, a member mounted tosaid shuttle providing a guide surface for each media item being movedand a protective shield for the trail edge of each media item afterbeing moved into said pocket. 7.) An accumulator system for collating aplurality of media items as defined in claim 6 wherein said moveableshuttle is moveable to change the size of said pocket such that mediaitems of various sizes can be collated. 8.) An accumulator system forcollating a plurality of media items as defined in claim 6 wherein saidshuttle is controllable to be stopped from movement at a position fornon-collation transport of media items though said collation exit path.9.) An accumulator system for collating a plurality of media items asdefined in claim 6 further comprising idler rollers mounted on saidshuttle and positioned to cooperate with said media item transport beltfor transport of media items toward said pocket. 10.) An accumulatorsystem for collating a plurality of media items as defined in claim 9further comprising idler rollers mounted in a fixed location andpositioned to cooperate with said media item transport belt fortransport of media items toward said pocket. 11.) An accumulator systemfor collating a plurality of media items as defined in claim 6 furthercomprising means connected to said member for urging said member to moveabove the trail edge of media items in said pocket. 12.) An accumulatorsystem for collating a plurality of media items as defined in claim 11wherein said means connected to said member is a spring connected tourge said member to move in a direction such that said member willfunction as a protective shield for the trail edge of media items insaid pocket. 13.) A method of creating a collation of media items,comprising the steps of: moving a media item over a protective memberand into a position for collation with other media items; moving saidprotective member to a position where said protective member is not inengagement with said media item; and, moving said protective member to aposition where the trail edge of said media item is protected frominterference with other media items to be moved into said collationposition. 14.) A method of creating a collation of media items asdefined in claim 13 further comprising the step of aligning said mediaitem in said collation position when moving said protective member tosaid media item trail edge protective position. 15.) A method ofcreating a collation of media items as defined in claim 14 wherein saidstep of aligning includes urging said media item against a media itemstop. 16.) A method of creating a collation of media items as defined inclaim 15 wherein said media item stop is at an exit point for mediaitems in said collation. 17.) A method of creating a collation of mediaitems as defined in claim 13 comprising the further step of selectivelycontrolling a transport means to partially move said media item along acollation exit path such that said media item and other media items ofdifferent lengths from said media item can be formed as part of saidcollation at said collation position. 18.) A method of creating acollation of media items as defined in claim 17 comprising the furtherstep of positioning said media item and other media items of differentlengths from said media item with the trail edge of said media item andsaid other media items aligned. 19.) A method of creating a collation ofmedia items as defined in claim 13 comprising the further steps ofrepeating each of said steps for each of said other media items to bemoved into said collation position. 20.) A method of creating acollation of media items as defined in claim 16 comprising the furthersteps of repeating each of said steps for each of said other media itemsto be moved into said collation. 21.) A method of creating a collationof media items as defined in claim 13 wherein said protective member ismounted on a moveable member controlled for reciprocating movement. 22.)A method of creating a collation of media items as defined in claim 13wherein said position for collation is a pocket where each media item insaid collation is positioned as said collation is being formed. 23.) Amethod of creating a collation of media items as defined in claim 13wherein said position for collation is a pocket where each media item insaid collation is positioned as said collation is being formed andcomprising the further the steps of controlling a movable member to formsaid pocket and moving said moveable member to urge a completedcollation of media items through a collation exit point and along acollation exit path. 24.) A method of creating a collation of mediaitems as defined in claim 13 wherein said position for collation is apocket where each media item in said collation is positioned as saidcollation is being formed and comprising the further the step ofcontrolling a movable member to form said pocket of a size toaccommodate the length of media items to be formed into said collation.25.) A method of creating a collation of media items, comprising thesteps of: moving a first media item of a first length into a positionfor collation with a second shorter length media items by partiallymoving said first media item along a collation exit path; and, movingsaid second shorter length media item into said collation position suchthat the trailing edge of said first media item and said second mediaitem are aligned. 26.) A method of creating a collation of media itemsas defined in claim 25 wherein moving said second shorter length mediaitem includes partially moving said second media item along saidcollation exit path. 27.) A method of creating a collation of mediaitems as defined in claim 26 comprising the further step of moving athird media item of shorter length than said second media item into butnot beyond said collation position such that the trailing edge of saidfirst media item, said second media item and said third media arealigned. 28.) A method of creating a collation of media items as definedin claim 25 wherein moving said second shorter length media itemincludes moving said second shorter length media item into but notbeyond said collation position. 29.) A method of creating a collation ofmedia items as defined in claim 25 comprising the further step ofordering the processing of media items to be moved into said collationposition by moving the longest length media item into the collationposition followed by shorter length media items.